Dental rubber-dam clamp



(ModeL) J. W. IVORY.

DENTAL RUBBER DAM CLAMP.

No. 400,771. Patented Apr. 2, 1889 S E 5 S E N W W ,raphen Washington. v.1;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. IVORY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DENTAL RUBBER-DAM CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,771, dated April 2, 1889.

Application filed September 13, 1888. Serial No. 285,805. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. IVORY, a subj ect of the Queen of Great Britain, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and-useful Improvement in Dental Incisor and Ouspid Clamps, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of a dental incisor and cuspid clamp constructed substantially as hereinafter more fully described, whereby the tooth may be conveniently reached by the operating-tool and the forceps may be readily applied to and removed from the clamp.

Figure 1 represents a front view of adental incisor and cuspid clamp embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a top or plan view thereof. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation thereof. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of the clamp and portion of forceps applied thereto. Fig. 5 represents a front view of a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A B represent the jaws of the clamp, which engage with the anterior and posterior faces of a tooth, said jaws being formed or connected with the springs or bows O, which are curved or shaped so as to be adapted to the curvature of the teeth adjacent to the one upon which an operation is to be performed.

It will be seen that the jaw B is set back from the jaw A, so that it may be applied to the posterior face or back of a tooth while the jaw is applied to the anterior face thereof. It will also be seen that springs O are elliptical in shape, taken from the front, and have their lower portions swelled forwardly, as at a. By this provision the frontof the clamp presents a large open or comparatively unobstructed space in which the operating-tool may be manipulated in most convenient and practical manner.

The portions of the springs adjacent to and upon both sides of the jaws are formed with recesses or notches b b to receive the beaks of the forceps, so that said beaks take proper hold of the clamp in order to open the jaws and retain said hold without liability to slip during the adjustment of the clamp.

In Fig. 5 the upper jaw is shown pointed, so that it may be set in immediate proximity to the edge of the gum, and thus raised to the full extent; but said jaw may be broadened, as shown in the other figures. In either case the front of the clamp is open to greatest extent for the admision of an instrument or disk, while the large surface of the tooth is entirely exposed for the operation. Furthermore, the clamp is universally applicable to all anterior teeth, and when it is in position it may be adjusted to raise or lower the front jaw, A, without necessarily crowding the back jaw upon the gum, said jaw serving as a pivot, thus holding the rubber well up to the gum, while exposing the cavity on the facial surface. Again, the upper jaw stands obliquely to the neck of the tooth, or is set out angularly therefrom, so as to take firm hold on the tooth and be prevented from dislodgment by the thrust of the lip. As the clamp is curved in the direction of the line of teeth, the teeth adjacent to the one operated upon remain clear of the clamp, and thus do not interfere with the application of the clamp to the desired tooth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A dental clamp consisting of two jaws having spring-connections on opposite sides thereof and provided with recesses adjacent to and upon both sides of said jaws, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A dental clamp consisting of jaws having spring-connections, the latter being elliptical in front and having lower portions swelled forwardly, as at a, substantially as ,and for the purpose set forth. v

JAMES W. IVORY.

\Vitnesses:

J OHN A. WrEnERsHEIM, A. P. JENNINGS. 

